Frank Ocean Discusses "Channel Orange" Early Release And Recording Album

Frank Ocean called into BBC Radio One and discussed keeping his album from leaking, why the album was released digitally a week early, and what he wanted to achieve musically.

The buzz
continues to mount around Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange which was released a
week early digitally, and hits stores July 17th. Ocean discussed the decision to release the
album a week early digitally with BBC Radio One, saying it was the plan all
along to release it early as a pre-emptive measure to thwart the album from
leaking. “It was the plan all along, I
kinda wanted to mirror Watch the Throne, preventing the leak by staggering physical
and digital dates”.

The singer
wanted the album to make the impact, and not have a frenzy created from a
leaked release, “kinda let the music just speak for itself” Ocean said, “and
not be in a situation where the album leaked”.

They’ve
been so careful in keeping the album from being pirated early that even Frank
Ocean himself hasn’t seen a physical copy, “they never went on trucks...I haven’t
even held one in my hands”.

A majority
of the album was recorded in a plush California home which was rented out. Ocean found it important to expand his
creativity on Channel Orange, “I wanted to do things I hadn’t done before
structurally with songs...I wanted to go different places sonically”. The soulful singer added, “[I] tried to make
something true to what I think the future should be music-wise”.

His
performance on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was his first major live appearance, and
Ocean says he only wants to perform live when he can really bring something
special to the performance, and will not do a plethora of appearances if it
will hinder the quality. “I want to do
the best show possible when I can...if that means a lesser volume of
appearances then so be it”, Ocean said.

He will be
on a national tour, and then be on the festival circuit, and afterwards will be
on “a studio run with Coldplay”.